Grand Duchess Elisabeth Nikolaevna of Winia

Grand Duchess Elisabeth Nikolaevna of Winia (Elisabeth Nikolaevna Romanova) (Russian: Великая Княжна Элизабет Николаевна) (Velikaya Knyazhna Elizabet Nikolaevna); 15 November 1839 – 17 July 1918) was the eldest child of Hilde Nikolaevna (a Grand Duchess of Winia), and of Leo Irene-Aquitania (a Grand Duke of Dagmar).

During her earlier teenager years, Elisabeth`s future marriage was the subject of great speculation within Winia. She eventually married the youngest brother of the Serbian Crown Prince Alexander, Prince Edward, and had seven children (Grand Duchesses Hilde II, Georgina I, Petra, Bonnie, Alix II, Katina II, and Grand Duke Benedict II). Elisabeth was happy with Prince Edward, and the two were nicknamed "The Fairy Tale Couple". During World War I, she nursed wounded soldiers in a military hospital, and her nerves of steel when treating wounded soldiers earned her the heart of the soldiers.

Elisabeth`s murder following the Serbophobia Revolution of 1917 resulted in her canonization as a passion bearer by the Winian Orthodox and Dagmarian Orthodox Churches. In the 1990s, her remains were identified through DNA testing and were buried in a funeral ceremony at Alexandrina Fortress in Yekaterinburg along with those of her parents and one of her sisters (presumed to be and later confirmed to be Alexa).

Early life and childhood
Elisabeth`s siblings were Grand Duchesses Alexa, Kara, Dove, Annelisa, Ava, Fawn, and Tsarevich Alexander of Winia. Her Russian title (Velikaya Knyazhna Великая Княжна) is most precisely translated as "Grand Princess," meaning that Elisabeth, as an "imperial highness," was higher in rank than other princesses in Europe who were "royal highnesses." However, "Grand Duchess" is the usual English translation. Her family and friends simply called her Elisabeth Nikolaevna or nicknamed her "Elisa," "Lettie," "Lonnie," "Lisa," or "Lulu." Among her godparents was a distant great-great-great-grandaunt, Alexandra Feodorovna (Alix of Hesse). Elisabeth was usually found sitting next to Alexa playing with their shared pet fox (Fina). The two girls shared a room, dressed differently, and were known as "Ms. Elisabeth and Mr. Alexa" or "The Married Pair."

From her earliest years she was known for her compassionate heart and desire to help others, but also for her temper, blunt honesty and moodiness. As a small child, she once lost her patience while posing for a photographer asking her sister, "This woman is ugly as a duckling, can we get another photographer?" Servants called Elisabeth and her siblings by their first names and patronyms rather than by their imperial titles. Unlike her distant cousin, Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna of Russia, Elisabeth was far more concerned with surviving in the Winia Empire. Her governess, Hannah Eagar noted that despite her temper, Elisabeth could become extremely cold and calculating if there was a need of it. She could tame even the most untamable of animals,